Accredited training
A key component of the Women Want to Know
project is the accredited training. Three leading
health professional bodies; the Royal Australian
College of General Practitioners (RACGP), the Royal
Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians
and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) and the Australian
College of Midwives (ACM) have developed
accredited training modules for health professionals
on alcohol consumption and pregnancy. The training
will include information on the effects of alcohol
consumption during pregnancy, ways to discuss
alcohol and pregnancy and referral.
Information on these modules is available
at www.alcohol.gov.au
For more information on the
Women Want to Know project
visit www.alcohol.gov.au
For more information on the
Alcohol Guidelines go to
www.nhmrc.gov.au/your-health/
alcohol-guidelines
About the Women Want
to Know project
The Women Want to Know project was developed
by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and
Education (FARE) in collaboration with leading
health professional bodies across Australia.
The Women Want to Know project is funded by the
Australian Government Department of Health.
Women
Want to Know
The
project
The Women Want
to Know project
The Women Want to Know project encourages
health professionals to routinely discuss alcohol
and pregnancy with women and to provide advice
that is consistent with the National Health and
Medical Research Council’s Australian Guidelines
to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol
(Alcohol Guidelines).
In 2009 the Alcohol Guidelines were updated and
the information on alcohol and pregnancy was
revised. The revised Alcohol Guidelines specified
that ‘Maternal alcohol consumption can harm the
developing fetus or breastfeeding baby’ and, ‘For
women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy,
not drinking is the safest option’ and, ‘For women who
are breastfeeding, not drinking is the safest option’.1
Development of the
Women Want to Know project
The Women Want to Know project was developed
by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and
Education (FARE) in collaboration with leading
health professional bodies across Australia and
is supported by funding from the Australian
Government Department of Health.
The project Working Group included the Royal
Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP),
the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of
Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG),
the Australian College of Midwives (ACM) the
Australian Medical Association (AMA), the Australian
Medicare Locals Alliance (AMLA) and the Australian
Government Department of Health. A consumer
representative from the Maternity Coalition was also
involved in the project development.
National Health and Medical Research Council (2009). Australian Guidelines to Reduce
Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol. Commonwealth of Australia. Canberra.
1
The Women Want to Know project involves two main
components:
Leaflet - Information for health professionals on
pregnancy and alcohol
1. Resources to support health professionals to
discuss alcohol use and pregnancy with women;
and
2. Accredited training to provide health
professionals with information and tools to
enable them to discuss alcohol and pregnancy
with women.
The leaflet for health professionals is a quick
reference guide that can be used during the
consultation when discussing alcohol use and
pregnancy with women. The leaflet provides a brief
overview of the evidence supporting the Alcohol
Guidelines and includes a framework for discussing
alcohol use and pregnancy, the 5As: Ask, Assess,
Advise, Assist and Arrange. The leaflet can be
downloaded from www.alcohol.gov.au or hard
copies can be ordered from the website.
Information on each of these is provided in the
following sections.
Resources to support health professionals
The Women Want to Know project includes a range
of online and print resources to support health
professionals in discussing alcohol use and pregnancy.
Women Want to Know Website
The website www.alcohol.gov.au is a one-stop-shop
with information about the project, including specific
information for health professionals and women. The
website also includes links to filmed scenarios that
demonstrate ways for health professionals to discuss
alcohol and pregnancy with women and tools for
health professionals to use in their practice such as a
standard drinks guide and the Alcohol Use Disorders
Identification Test – Consumption (AUDIT-C).
Leaflet - Information for women about pregnancy
and alcohol
The leaflet for women provides information on
alcohol use and pregnancy. The leaflet provides
information on why it’s best to avoid alcohol
consumption during pregnancy, hints and tips for
saying ‘no’ to alcohol when out with friends and
information on where to go for further information
or advice. The leaflet can be downloaded from
www.alcohol.gov.au or hard copies can be ordered
from the website.